Saturday, July 26, 2008

Which Is Creepier? X Games's Darkmane or "Wrecked" Promo Hype?

Apparently, Darkmane has just about worn out the patience of the American public. The spokesman for the upcoming X Games on ESPN is annoying and his scattered content does not make a lot of sense to fans of many other sports on ESPN...like NASCAR.

Darkmane is the centerpiece of a promo and marketing campaign that ESPN created and allocated lots of money to bring to fruition. Here is one story from The Big Lead about the issue. Here is another one with a little inside scoop. The Daly Planet email has been primarily anti-Darkman and it seems doubtful that these promos are helping the X Games among the NASCAR set.

Meanwhile, the email "delete" button has been busy with complaints about Wrecked. This is a reality series on SPEED that the network is very high on this year. Wrecked promos feature people towing cars and trucks. No matter what hype the owner or drivers try to add, the bottom line is people are towing stuff.

Saturday on SPEED, primetime is dominated by four episodes of Wrecked going up against the Nationwide race on ESPN. That is a statement about the direction that SPEED is going when it comes to live racing or post-produced reality shows.

What is your opinion of these endless promos? Did the promos help to encourage you to watch these shows and will you be watching the X Games? I have a feeling Darkmane may be showing up on the Nationwide race tonight just a time or two.

The Daly Planet welcomes comments from readers. Simply click on the COMMENTS button below and follow the easy instruction. The rules for posting are located on the right side of the main page. Thanks for stopping by.

I really have no interest in either of these "shows" I watched Wrecked for a few minutes - it wasn't interesting to me so I switched channels, to those who like it enjoy. The endless promos are annoying.Darkmane, well thats just a low budget Vader type - and altho' I watch winter x games a bit, I don't watch the summer one at all.And these promos re enforce the idea that its not very good.

What is the idea behind cramming all these promos, creepy ones at that, on us continually? It doesn't make anyone watch. Good programs get viewers.

Honestly, they were no different to me than any other commercial... Ignore and fast-forward.

I haven't seen the Wrecked commercials, just the promos they pop on the screen during truck races. I'm not sure what's worse, the promos themselves or how excited Rick and Michael are to talk about the show.

All I'll say is that this new method of promoting the X-Games is a million times better than last year's method of having Jamie Little talk split-screen to X-Games guys on the entire screen in the middle of a Cup qualifying session at Michigan(?) last year.

here's the issue: being force-fed this RELENTLESS barrage of commercials for wrecked and x games has turned viewers AWAY from the programs. it's the same complaint that arose over the bill engvall show, saving grace, and the closer: in a word, overkill.

ultimately, it doesn't matter which is creepier as an ad campaign. both campaigns are annoying the viewers and, reading the comments posted so far, i see few comments who are committed to either program. i tried wrecked (against my better judgement) b/c i gave deadliest catch a try and was greatly pleased. wrecked? not so much: i will not watch again.

seems to me one either is already committed to watch x games or not and i doubt ads will sway anyone. at best, the ad campaign will keep the date fresh in those who are fans. and, coincidentally, annoy the crap outta the rest of us! i wonder if x game fans are ok w/this ad campaign or offended?

anon 7:09p? care to elaborate about your feelings as you're the only one so far who has said that the x games are something you watch? what would have made more sense to you as a fan? what does the current campaign say to you? just wonderin'.

I watch all commercials at least once, since those fine people pay the bills so we can watch the races free.

Speaking of creepy commercials, how about the Planter's Cashews with Ms. Unibrow? And let's not forget that obnoxious little brat, the fake relative of the Wallaces? Just once I'd like to see the Geico Gecko bite his head off.

kenny, i'll watch more than once for the same reason. but 15 times? ahhh, nope. i understand it's their programming and they want to promote the crap outta it but after seeing both campaigns repeatedly, i am soooo over this right now.

goodwill only goes so far.

maybe if more than one or two ads were produced? dunno 'cause i've stopped paying attention to them.